The deadline is approaching on this month's Simpy Sweet Poppy challenge ........

Happy Monday ........

Did you have a nice weekend?  

I just wanted to pop by and remind you that the deadline for this month's Simply Sweet Poppy Stencils Facebook Challenge is coming up fast!  If you haven't yet played along, and would like to be in with a chance of winning the £40 voucher to spend on the Sweet Poppy website, you have until 5pm tomorrow to get your entry in.  That's 5pm (BST) on Tuesday 29th September.

The rules are simple ........

• Create a project using SWEET POPPY STENCILS as your focal point
• Follow this month's theme ...... Hues of Blue
• Post it on the Simply Sweet Poppy Stencils FB page ....... including in your post .... Sweet Poppy Stencils Challenge .... Hues of Blue 
• Remember ....... you MUST ONLY use Sweet Poppy stencils.  Any entry found to be using another brand of stencil will not be included in the draw for the winner.  Other brands of mediums and inks can be used with your stencil, and stamps can also be used but,  your stencil MUST BE the main focal point of your project

This was created with a simple Brusho background on a piece of watercolour cardstock.  I sprayed the card with water, sprinkled over the Brusho powder and then let it do all the work.

I spritzed a little more water in places and dabbed away the excess with a paper towel until I was happy with the look.

Once it was dry, I used my stencil over the top with a navy ink .... building up the depth of colour gradually.  

To finish off I added a few dots of glitter to the ends of the flowers and my sentiments across the bottom ..... heat embossing one in silver 

and stamping another underneath using the same navy ink.

It's been a very popular challenge this month, there's lots of amazing entries in the gallery so far.  But you have to be in it to win it, so get those stencils out ..... the clock's ticking!

I can't believe all this nice weather we've been having, it's been lovely, although the temperatures are starting to drop a little now (sigh!)  Not a problem though last night ....... we finished our family staycation week back at home, sat out enjoying the stars.  

We took the little firepit from the van and finished the evening on the patio .......

There's something about sitting round a fire ..... it's mesmerizing.  Especially when we started burning these pine cones ...... Northern Lights Color Fire Cones from Lakeland ..... they were amazing!  They change the colour of the flames into blues and greens ......... really pretty.

Just wished we'd had some marshmallows ....... next time!!

Thanks for popping by ........ have a great week.

I'm off into town with Lauren today, would you believe Christmas shopping.  Wish me luck!

Cheerio until next time ......

Products used:

Stencils: Cornflowers (Sweet Poppy)

Stamps:

Inks: Versafine Clair - Twilight

Others: Brushos Pigment Powder - Cobalt Blue; Fine crystal glitter

Sweet Poppy FB Challenge

Happy Tuesday ......

Pinch and a punch for the 1st of the month ....... welcome to September!! 

(picture found on Pinterest)

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend ...... it was an extra long one here in the Isle of Man with TWO Bank Holidays so we've had a real break.  A few days away in the motorhome ..... started off a bit wet and windy but we did get some lovely sunshine.   And then we finished the weekend off with family BBQ yesterday ..... always fun when we get together.

So it's the 1st of the month and that means new challenge themes ..... whoo hoo!!
I'm starting off the month with the Sweet Poppy Stencils Facebook Challenge ..... check out the details on the Simply Sweet Poppy Stencils FB page.

This month the theme is ....... Hues of Blue.  

One of my favourite colours, and one of my favourite Sweet Poppy Stencils ......... throw in a lovely  sentiment and you have the perfect combination!

I inked the circle in the background first using Distress Ink (Stormy Sky) and a simple mask cut from copier paper using one of my nesting dies

I went off the edge of my card with the circle and added a few splatters of water to create a little more detail in the background

I then used the gorgeous Wild Flowers stencil ......

and two more shades of blue Distress Inks ....... Faded Jeans and Chipped Sapphire

I added in a sentiment ......

And finished off with a few dots of Crystalina glitter

Now it's your turn.
The challenge will run until the 29th September when one lucky winner (randomly chosen) will receive .....

 a whopping £40 voucher to spend on the Sweet Poppy website 

The rules are simple ......

• Create something fabulous following this month's challenge theme
• Post it on the Simply Sweet Poppy Facebook page
• Include in your post "Sweet Poppy Challenge - along with the theme name (then we know it's a challenge entry!)
• Use ONLY Sweet Poppy stencils on your design ........ it's OK to use other branded mediums, inks etc.,  along with them.
• And ...... you can have a maximum of THREE entries per challenge.  

Happy stenciling!

I've got a busy week this week, including a trip to the dentist (oh joy!).  Nothing major (I hope) it's just a routine check up.
And we might just squeeze in another couple of nights away, depending on the weather of course. 
It was a little bit muddy when we arrived at the campsite last week ..... we needed the chocks to level us up, and stop the wheels sinking into the mud!!

It wasn't too bad, the rain did stop and we had a beautiful weekend.  It's great because hubby cooks, and all I have to do is pour the wine ......

 and then sit and watch the sun go down ...... perfect!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

I'll be back later today when this month's CAS Mix Up challenge starts.

Cheerio until then ......

Products used:
Stencils: Wild Flowers (Sweet Poppy)
Stamps: Friends A6 stamp set (Sweet Poppy)
Inks: Distress Inks - Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire; Versafine Clair - Nocturne (for the sentiment)
Other: Quickie Glue Pen, Crystalina Glitter (Sweet Poppy)

Launching the new Sweet Poppy Monthly Challenge .......

Happy weekend ......

Pinch and a punch for the first of the month ........ welcome to August!!!
Not quite sure what happened to July but ..... here we are.  Only 146 days until Christmas ..... eeek!!
I'm not getting into the festive spirit just yet though.  I usually say nothing festive until I've been away on holiday but that's not going to happen this year.  We should have been in Florence Italy last weekend for our wedding anniversary but it wasn't to be.  Next year hopefully.
Instead we're having another weekend away, on the island, in the motorhome.  Not quite the same but, I'm sure we'll have fun!

It's the beginning of a new month and I'm excited!!!   There's a brand new challenge launching today from the fabulous Sweet Poppy Stencils.  You know me, I love a good challenge and I do love Sweet Poppy Stencils so this should be fun.
It's a monthly challenge, running on the Simply Sweet Poppy Stencils Facebook page. It starts on the first of each month and will run through to the 29th of the month.
There's a few rules to follow, nothing difficult, and the winner will be randomly chosen at the end of each challenge from all the eligible entries.

The rules are ......

• Follow the monthly theme 
• Post your entry on the Simply Sweet Poppy Stencils Facebook page 
• Include on your post the words ...... "Sweet Poppy challenge -  theme name" (so that we know to include it in the draw)
• Each person can enter a maximum of THREE entries into each challenge ..... and
• ONLY Sweet Poppy stencils must be used - other brands of inks, mediums and stamps can be used on your designs, but your stencil must be the focal point.

Each month a winner will be randomly chosen and they will receive a fabulous £40 voucher to spend online only on the Sweet Poppy Website.

What are you waiting for ....... get those Sweet Poppy stencils out and create something fabulous!!

Need a little inspiration?  OK.  The first Sweet Poppy Challenge theme is .......... 

Hot Summer Colours

These could be pretty tropical shades or maybe like me, you think of hot summer days and gorgeous sunsets ........

I simply blended Distress Inks onto a piece of white cardstock ........

I then splattered a little bit of water over the top, let it sit for a few seconds and then mopped up the excess.  Because Distress inks react with water you're left with this fab speckled effect on the background ...... the more water you use and the longer you let it sit, the more ink you will remove

I placed my stencil over the top and used a sponge to apply another Distress Ink through the design, building up the depth of colour gradually.  

I used one of the large word stencils to add my sentiment ......

And to finish I added a few highlights to the letters using a gold gel pen ......

and a few splatters of gold ink, to add a touch of shimmer to the card.

I'm looking forward to seeing all your Hot Summer designs in the Simply Sweet Poppy Facebook Group.

Happy stenciling!

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day and have a lovely weekend.
I'm just keeping my fingers crossed the sun keeps shining!

Cheerio until next time ......

Products used:
Stencils: Black Orchid, Inspirational Word stencil - Dream (Sweet Poppy)
Inks: Distress Ink - Mustard Seed, Carved Pumpkin, Abandoned Coral, Worn Lipstick (all for the background), Aged Mahogany (for the flower); Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Delicata - Golden Glitz (for the splatters)
Others: Gold Sparkle Gel pen